Cantwell stands behind support for Iraq war

OLYMPIA – Sen. Maria Cantwell said Thursday she has no regrets over her vote to authorize the war in Iraq, but hopes major progress is made this year in turning that nation over to the Iraqis.

“No, I don’t think it was a mistake,” the Washington Democrat told the Associated Press in an interview during a visit to the state Capitol.

It was her most definitive defense of her vote, which has caused some angst among the peace movement in her party. She has drawn a primary challenger, Mark Wilson, who lists the war vote as a prime reason to deny her the nomination.

Cantwell, who recently visited Iraq and has supported wartime defense budget requests, said that ever since she was a U.S. House member in 1993, she favored a regime change in Iraq. She said her tour showed there has been progress in training Iraqis to run their own government and maintain order.

“We will have some challenges, but 2006 needs to be a year that we put more responsibility into the hands of the Iraqi people,” she said.

Cantwell acknowledged that she has encountered some blowback from her party, but said she expects to maintain strong support because of her work on other issues that are important to activists, including the environment and energy.

The senator said she has heard a variety of opinions from party loyalists about the war, but that almost no one would bring troops home tomorrow. She said some Democrats who disagreed with her vote have told her they’ll put that in context with her overall record and continue to back her.

“As you serve a longer time, the totality of your record becomes the issue,” Cantwell said.

She said she’s proud of her efforts to make energy price-gouging a federal crime, to crack down on sex predators and methamphetamine production, to keep supertankers out of Puget Sound and to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

“I feel I have worked hard representing the people of Washington on issues they care about,” she said.

Cantwell said she hasn’t scheduled her statewide re-election tour yet. Her likely Republican challenger, business leader and former Senate aide Mike McGavick, officially kicks off his campaign in Seattle on Saturday.

Cantwell has a fundraiser next Friday featuring her best-known Senate colleague, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Tickets range up to $1,000 and the Qwest Field event will raise “a lot of money,” she said.

Cantwell has picked up the endorsement of the state Council of Fire Fighters, Fire Chiefs Association, Council of Police & Sheriffs, State Patrol Troopers Association and Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

Kelly Fox, head of the firefighters, said Cantwell “built a solid record of support for homeland security, community safety, law enforcement and emergency services.

“She knows Washingtonians depend on us every day, and she’s always worked hard to make sure we have the tools we need to do our jobs and keep you safe,” Fox said.

Cantwell and the groups used a joint appearance to call on President Bush to increase federal funds available to fight the methamphetamine epidemic.